Gate fastener



June 12, 1923.

1,458,664 f H. H. SCHEFER GATE' FAsTEN-ER Filed Jan.' 14. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @ttor/nud R E F E A H c s H. H.

.lune l2, 1923.

GATE FASTENER Filed Jan. 14. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented `une 12, 1923.

HENRY H. soHAErER, or WELDONA, conoaAno. y

| GATE FASTENER.

Application yfusa January 14, 1922. serial No. 529,251.

To all whom t may concern: j y

Be it known that I, HENRY H. SCHAEFER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Veldona, in the county ofy Morgan and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate vFasteners, of which the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompa nying drawings. y

This invention relates to gate fasteners and more particularly to wire gate fasteners or tighteners. y

The principal object ,of the inventiony is to provide a simple and eicient devicev of this character which hangs down out ot the way when disconnected from the gate,r so that it is not subject to breakage when stock or wagons are passing through the gate.

A further object of the invention is to improve the structure shown in my cepending application, Serial No. 487,040, filled July 23, 1921, in which a somewhat similarstr'ue` ture is disclosed, but which is possessed of certain disadvantages which itis the object of this invention to overcome.

A further object of the invention kis lto provide in gate fasteners' of this type in which shiftable levers are employed for tightening the gate through the medium of a movable link or hook connection, means for mounting theoperating lever in a normally vertical position when the tightener is disconnected so that it may be readilyy engaged with the hand and will occupy a minimum space.

A further object of the inventionis `to provide a support for the lever and link tightener device, whereby the same 4 may swing from side to side in the` event of being engaged by stock or wagons passing through a gate.

A still further object of the'invention is to provide a structurev of this character wherein the link combines with the hook and permits a positive lock 1about the gate stick, preventing accidental opening of the gate as by engagement of the locking mechanism by the horns of cattle rubbing against the gate.

Other objects and advantages of the in-` vention willappear throughout the following description. y

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustrationis shown a preferable form of my inventioni, and

wherein' like reference characters designate like parts throughout p Figure 1 is a side elevationshowing a gate fastener constructed in accordance with my invention appliedto a gate and in the open position; y

` Figure 2 is a similar View showing the gate in the closed position; i

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the 'fastener in the open position;

Figure 4: is a similar view ot the fastener in the closedyposition; i

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the lever showing fthe manner of constructing the same; yand* Figure 6 is a plan view of a modiied form of fastener and link construction.

Referring now more particularly tov the drawings', the numeral 10 vdesignates a' gate post to which is attached a gate sticlcloop 11 adapted for rvthe reception of the lower end of a gate stick 12forming oneend of a wire gate G. Since the construction of the gate G has been changed no ,way from the ordinary construction, only those portions thereof which are necessary to' the illustration of my invention will be hereinafter included. It will be understood,I however,

`that the opposite side of the gate is secured toa post in the usualfmanner. j

Threaded into the post 10 in a desired level is ani adjusting memberA 13 shown in the present instance as embodying a lag screw 14 engaging in the post and havinga collar .15 provided with anopening' through whicha securing element 16 may be driven into the post to prevent rotation of the adjusting member. The adjusting member likewise embodies" a head having ears" 17 formedthereon which are spaced and hori- .zontallyV directedy rand intermediate which extends a closed link y18 held .inv position intermediate the ears by a pin 17a extending' through the link and ears. The construction just recited permits the link 18 to swing in a horizontal plane only'. l l y To ythe free end of the link 18, a latch lever 19` is pivotally connected adjacent one endVas at 18a. This latch lever is provided at said end with an offset 20 having an aperture 21 therein which receives an oitset end 22 of a gate hook 23. ','ThisA gate hook isshapedat-itsfree end to form a hook 24, the bill of the'hookl being. bent to one side of the plane of the body of the hook,

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the bending being such that when the hook is horizontally disposed as it is when it is engaged with the gate stick and the gate closed, the bill 21-1 will entend upwardly. The hook is provided with an extension 25 having at its end an angularly disposed hook 26 opening at the side of the hook 24 opposite from the hook opening.

The latch lever 19 is provided with an olfset bend 27 opposed to the bend of the hook 2e and is of sufficient length .topermit its engagement with the hook 26 of the extension 25 and as much longer as may be desired. It will be seen that the offset 27 of the lever 19 prevents the necessity of springing the lever around the gate stick and at the same time combines with the hook 211 to form a substantially circular band receiving the gate stick, the upbent end 24a of the hook 241 lying behind the bend or offset 27 of the lever 19and accidental engagement of the hook end is accordingly prevented.

Attention is directed to the fact that in engaging the latch lever 19 with the hook L26 it is necessary that the middle of the latch lever 19 cross the middle of' the hook or of its extension, and accordingly ifthe lever 19 be forced down as by engagement with the body of an animal it will not be shifted clear of the hook 26. lIt is necessary, to `accomplish ,this obj ect, that theL latch lever be moved downwardly and subsequently toward the open side of thek hook.

In order that the latch lever may be kept fully engaged with thehook 26 and to accomplish further objects hereinafter to1 appear, I secure to the latch ,lever at a point intermediate the pivot point 18" and the l end thereof engaging the hook 26, one end of a spring 28, theopposite end of which is connected to the adjusting member 18. This spring tends to force the handle or latch lever into the position shown in Figure 1, the movement of the lever after arriving in said position being limited by a lug 29 coming in engagement with Ithe link 18. The tension supplied by this spring will be sufficient to keep the lever 19 fully engaged with the hook and at the same time will assist in moving the lever to the position shown in this figure. Furthermore, the handle is maintained in a vertical position when the gate is'open so that it may be readily engaged.

While I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this specific structure, I prefer toA form the latch lever 19 with a notch 30 at one side ofwhich a teat 31 is formed for ease in assembling the latch lever upon the link 18. In such assembling the lever has the notch thereof engaged with the-link 18 andthe teat 31 is bent over to maintain the lever in position upon the link. The usual removable pin construction may be employed with the link if so desired but as the same is old and well known it is not herein illustrated. v

In Figure 6 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of adjusting member and link.

In this figure the adjusting member and link are shown as formed integrally, the link 18b being welded or cast in one piece with the collar 15 of the securing member 14. It will, of course, be understood that the links 18 and 18b are provided with enlarged portions 18c permitting readypasszige of the bent end of the latch lever and the end of the gate hook 23. Whilethe structure, shown in Figure 6 does'not permit of horizontal oscillation of the hook and latch lever, it is a construction which may be employed to advantage in many instances.

From the foregoing it is believed to be obvious that I have constructed a gate tightener or fastener which is particularly well adapted for the usek for which it is intended and that the gate stick isr firmly locked in position when the device is clos-ed and may be readily released when desired and in that when the device is open vit is properly positioned for engagement and may be readily handled and is not subject to breakage since it may be oscillated horizontally to swing out of the path of anything which may engage therewith. It will furthermore be obvious that many mechanical details of the structure thereof may be altered without in any manner departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed and I accordingly do not limit myself to the specific structure thereof except as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In awire gate fastener or tightener, the vcombination with a support, of a securing member attached to the support, a lever pivotally connected therewith, a hook pivotally connected with the lever and adapted to engage the lgate stick, said hook and lever combining to encircle the gate stick when the hook is engaged with the gate stick and the lever swung to the fastening position and means carried by the hook for securing the lever in fastening position.

2. In a wire gate 'fastener or tightener, the' combination with a support, of a link pivoted to the support to swing in a horizontal plane and held against vertical movement, a lever pivoted to the link to swing in a verticalplane, anda link pivoted to the lever and adapted to engage the gate stick.

3. In a wire gate fastener or tightener, the combination with a support, of a securing member attached to the support, 'a lever, a link connection between the lever and the j securing member which is pivoted 'to both, yieldable means yconnecting the securing member and the lever for normally maintaining the lever in vertical position, and a link pivoted to the lever and adapted to engage the gate stick of the gate.

4. In a wire gate fastener, the combina-v tion with a support, of a securing member attached to the support, means for preventing rotation of the securing member, a link pivoted to the securing member to swing in a horizontal plane, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the link to swing in a vertical plane, means connecting the supporting member and the lever for normally maintaining the lever in a vertical position, and a link pivoted to the lever and adapted to engage a portion of the gate.

5. In a wire gate fastener, the combination with a support, of a securing member attached to the support, a lever, a link connection between the lever and the securing member which is pivoted to both, a hook pivoted to the lever and adapted to engage a portion of the gate, an offset formed in the lever adapted to be disposed at the opposite side of the engaged portion o f the gate from the hook when the device is 1n the closed position,- and means carried by the hook for maintaining the lever in the closed position.

(l. In a wire gate fastener, the combination with a supporting post, of a securing member attached to the post and provided with an integral collar having an opening there through, a securing member extending through the opening of the collar and engaging the support, horizontally disposed vertically spaced ears carried by the securing member, a link pivoted intermediate said ears, a lever pivoted to the free end of the link and a gate stick engaging member pivoted to the lever.

7. In a wire gate fastener, the combination with a supporting post, of a supporting member secured thereto, a link pivoted to the,`

supportin member to swing in a vertical plane, a ever pivoted to said link intermediate its ends, a link arranged for connecn ytion between the gate stick and one end of the lever and having an opening in. one side thereof, a hook on said link adapted to receive the opposite end of the lever, and an y offset in the lever arranged to receive the gate stick at the side thereof disposed to- Ward the opening of said link.

8. In a wire gate fastener, the combination with a supporting post, of a supporting member secured thereto, a link pivoted to the supporting member to swing in a vertical plane, a lever pivoted to said link intermediate its ends, a link arranged for connection between the gate stick and oneend of the lever and having an opening in one side thereof, a hook on said link adapted to receive the opposite end of the lever, and an offset in the lever arranged to receive the gate stick at the side thereof disposed toward t-he opening of said link, the hook carried by said linkopening away from the side of the link provided with the opening.

9. In a wire gate fastener or tightener, the combination with a support., of a link pivoted to the support to swing in a horizontal plane and held against vertical vmovement, a lever pivoted to the link at the free Vend thereof to swing in a vertical plane, means connecting the lever and supportV yieldably holding the lever in vertical position, and a link pivoted to the lever and adapted to engage -the gate stick.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

HENRY H. SCHAEFER. 

